Maxine Mitchell

Freda Maxine Mitchell (nee Garrett) was born on March 30, 1924 in Kennett, Missouri to Virgil Garrett and Ruth Garrett (nee Austill). She had an older brother named James, a younger brother, Junior, and a sister who died at the age of 3. She was raised in Southeast Missouri and moved to the St. Louis area as a young adult to work at a shoe factory. She had one child at that time named Jimmy J. Petty. She met Robert Leon Mitchell, Sr. while in the St. Louis area. Robert was born and raised in Arcadia, Missouri. Robert and Maxine married January 21, 1951 and made a home in St. Ann, Missouri. Then along came another son, Robert L. Mitchell, Jr. and a daughter, Sandra L. Mitchell. In 1958 they decided they would like to settle in Arnold, Missouri and rented a house on Jeffco Blvd. for a short time and eventually bought a home in Arnold in 1959. In 1961 Maxine gave birth to another son, Randall G. Mitchell. Robert and Maxine raised all four of their children in this home and Robert still resides there with his son, Randy.

Maxine was a very busy person raising 4 children and taking care of their household while Robert worked a job outside the home. Once the children were in school, in addition to keeping up with their activities, she was also a seamstress, sewing clothing for herself, her children and other people, as well as curtains and doing some upholstery jobs. She also took classes to make wedding cakes and delivered and set up wedding cakes for people all over the Arnold-St. Louis area. She gave up the wedding cake business and then went to work at a day care as a cook. She worked at the day care for 25 years before retiring.

Maxine loved her family—everything revolved around family. They packed up the car about every other weekend and headed for the country to visit relatives. She also loved to cook, shop, do floral arrangements, and fish. She always had a well-decorated home for Christmas, making it special for her family. She would make all kinds of cookies for Christmas as well as her famous fruitcakes.

After her first grandchild was born, Maxine became “Granny”. Everyone in the family, even her husband, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and sons-in-law called her Granny. That has become her official name to her entire family.

Maxine is survived by her loving husband, Robert L. Mitchell, Sr; her sons, Jimmy J. Petty (Jean), Robert L. Mitchell, Jr. (Carolyn), and Randall Mitchell; her daughter, Sandra L. Mitchell Wisecarver (James); grandchildren, Trisha Petty Norton (Robert), Brian Petty (Amy), Shelley Mitchell Igert (Jeremy), Robin Mitchell Acree (Clint), Nicholas Wisecarver, Stephanie Mitchell, Tiffany Mitchell, and Ashley Mitchell; and great grandchildren, J.T. Faigle, Cody Norton, Chase Igert, Chandler Igert, Mason Petty, Sawyer Petty, and Landon Acree.

Visitation will be held at Heiligtag-Lang-Fendler Funeral Home, 1081 Jeffco Blvd., Arnold, 63010 on Wednesday, October 3, 2012 from 4-8 p.m. Service on Thursday, October 4 at 11:30 a.m. with Pastors Menk Ferguson and Kenny Qualls presiding. Interment to follow at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations are appreciated to the Alzheimer’s Association, 9370 Olive Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132.